A doctor who gave CPR to his daughter after she overdosed on heroin, despite evidence that her friend — who later died — was in a worse physical state, defended his actions as “paternal instinct”, a coronial inquest has heard.

Key points:

Lucas Pike, 43, injected heroin inside a Hindley Street clinic and could not be revived

Athena Kyriacou has told a coronial inquest she also took the drug the night Mr Pike died

Ms Kyriacou’s father, Dr Jack Kerry, has defended giving CPR to his daughter and not to Mr Pike

The South Australian Coroner’s Court heard testimony from Dr Jack Kerry from the Hindley Street surgery where 43-year-old Luke Pike died after taking heroin with his daughter, Athena Kyriacou.

He also described Mr Campbell as appearing “shocked” and “frightened” by the overdose, having screamed “heroin, heroin” to raise the alarm.

Dr Kerry said he continued to give his daughter CPR after he found a pulse, and described her as having “good colour”, while directing Mr Campbell to do the same to Mr Pike.

Counsel assisting the coroner Naomi Kereru asked whether Dr Kerry was required to update his CPR training every three years, given he’d last received training in 2011. Dr Kerry told the court he “didn’t know”.

Some of the questions Ms Kereru put to Dr Kerry were on behalf of Mr Pike’s father, brother and sister, who attended the inquest.

Tragic history of drug overdose

In a statement to police, Ms Kyriacou revealed her brother — and Dr Kerry’s only son — had previously died of a drug overdose 11 years ago.

Giving evidence on Wednesday, Ms Kyriacou said both Mr Pike and Mr Campbell were patients of her father’s and that Mr Campbell had connections to her late brother.

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